‘Devastating’ legal loophole threatens NT ghost bats, environmentalists say

ENVIRONMENTALISTS are calling on the NT government to close a loophole they say puts at risk the future of the vulnerable Northern Australian ghost bat

ENVIRONMENTALISTS are calling on the NT government to close a “devastating” loophole they say puts at risk the future of the vulnerable Northern Australian ghost bat.

The Environment Centre NT’s Jason Fowler said the current rules allowed companies to obtain land clearing permits without conducting an environmental impact assessment – as long as the area to be cleared is less than 5000ha.

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“Proponents wanting to avoid these assessments only have to apply for clearing permits on areas below this limit to avoid this important oversight mechanism,” he said.

“We’re seeing this loophole being utilised by the cotton industry in particular, allowing them to do potential damage to delicate ecological systems and the feeding grounds of the ghost bat.”

Environmentalists say a 'devastating' legal loophole is putting the future of the vulnerable northern Australian ghost bat at risk. Picture: Supplied/The Environment Centre NT

Mr Fowler said large cotton companies had submitted proposals to carve up NT cattle stations into 1500ha lots, making “huge areas of ghost bat habitat” available for clearing without an environmental impact assessment.

“In other areas of Northern Australia, ghost bat populations have collapsed due to land clearing for agriculture and mining activities,” he said.

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“Now there are grave fears for the future of this ecologically important top order predator in the NT.”

Environment Minister Eva Lawler said the government had updated legislation that regulated native vegetation clearing in its last term “to ensure it is contemporary and meets to changing needs of economic development and environmental matters in the NT”.

“The NT government has joined the Australian government and other states and territories in adopting a common assessment method for identifying and classifying threatened species in Australia,” she said.